Show-stopping projection unveiled on one of Edinburgh’s most iconic buildings
Official Partner Destination of The Fringe, Johnnie Walker Princes Street, has kicked off its partnership with the world’s most famous arts festival, by unveiling a show stopping projection illuminating the entire eight floor building.
The projection, created by Scottish projection specialists, Double Take, uses the iconic cantilever clock that sits on the outside of the Johnnie Walker Princes Street building, as a recurring theme.
The 2D/3D projection features a series of bold and colourful scenes that reimagine the facade of the visitor experience with dancers, acrobats and musicians, the idea being that performers are housed within the inner workings of the magical clock – allowing the cogs and clockwork elements to be woven throughout the piece.
The eight floor building is also a proud Fringe venue with ‘Pick of the Fringe’ which is a line-up of the best performances from across the festival. Set in the venue’s purpose built event space, Label Studio, two must-see shows will run daily every Thursday – Sunday at 4.30pm and 10.15pm.
Each day, three acts have been hand-picked from The Fringe’s unrivalled talent pool, for exclusive performances overlooking the Edinburgh cityscape.
The line-up includes performances from: Grammy and Emmy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, Britain’s Got Talent finalist Magical Bones, Australian drag and circus act Briefs Factory, America’s Got Talent semi finalist Dom Chambers, and many more.
Johnnie Walker Princes Street has also created ‘Tropical Time Out’ on Victoria Street, an experiential space giving festival goers the opportunity to step out of the busy city and into a world of flavour, showcasing just a hint of what’s in store at Johnnie Walker Princes Street. From here, guests can get a taste of what to expect on the Journey of Flavour tour, before heading down to the newly lit building for their own multi-sensory whisky adventure.
Barbara Smith, Managing Director for Diageo’s Scotland brand homes said: “It’s wonderful to see Edinburgh’s festival season in full swing once more and we’re delighted to be part of the action.
“Johnnie Walker Princes Street is looking fabulous both inside and out, especially with the unveiling of our exciting new projection which will illuminate Princes Street with some fabulous story-telling and images.
“This is our first summer in the city and our team are delighted to welcome visitors to our Journey of Flavour tour, Pick of the Fringe performances, rooftop bar and retail space. We know a thing or two about making the perfect blend and our festival line-up is no different, so head along and see us for an exciting festival experience.”
The Journey of Flavour is a 90 minute tour with 3 whisky drinks tailored to your flavour preference (non alcholic options avaible). Complete with a unique flavour-based quiz and personalised cocktails, the full-sensory adventure culminates in a flavour-filled celebration with three whisky drinks.
Ticketholders for any ‘Pick of the Fringe’ event receive 30% off their Journey of Flavour experience along with 20% off in the venue’s state-of-the-art retail store, subject to terms and conditions.
The projection will feature every night of the festival from 10pm.
Underbelly has announced the line-up for its fourth Big Brain Tumour Benefit in its biggest venue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, McEwan Hall. 100% of box office income going to The Brain Tumour Charity, the world’s leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally.
So far, Underbelly has raised nearly £100,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity from these benefits alone, including £30,000 at the last Fringe benefit in 2019.
Jason Byrne (MC), John Bishop, Jessica Fostekew, Rhys Nicholson, Michael Akadiri, Phil Wang and Maisie Adam are confirmed to appear in this year’s show with more guests to be announced.
The show was created by Underbelly in 2017 following the diagnosis of an aggressive and rare form of brain cancer called Ependymoma in Alfie Bartlam, the son of Underbelly’s co-founder Ed Bartlam.
Brain tumour research is severely underfunded in the UK and yet represents the biggest cancer killer for under 40s.
One of the hottest tickets on the Fringe, the annual line up sees star comedians throw support behind of The Brain Tumour Charity.
MC’ed by one of the biggest selling comedians on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Jason Byrne, the line-up includes eponymous host of The John Bishop Show, Dave’s Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee for Best Show Jessica Fostekew, Phil Wang fresh off the back of his Netflix special Philly Philly Wang Wang Wang,winner of the Most Outstanding Show at the 2022 Melbourne Comedy Festival Rhys Nicholson,Michael Akadiri, winner of theKomedia New Comedian Of The Year Award 2020 and Maisie Adam, “one of the UK’s funniest comedians” according to The London Evening Standard.
All box office income goes directly to The Brain Tumour Charity, a cause close to Underbelly’s heart. Co-founder of Underbelly, Ed Bartlam’s son Alfie was just 4 years old when he was diagnosed with a form of aggressive brain cancer in 2017 and sadly died in 2019.
Research into brain tumours is severely underfunded in the UK and yet represents the biggest cancer killer for under 40s.Around 500 children and young people in the UK are diagnosed each year but diagnosis times of childhood brain tumours are longer in the UK than in many other countries.
The Brain Tumour Charity’s Better Safe Than Tumour campaign aims to raise awareness of the common signs and symptoms in both children and adults and to support the public to get any concerning or persistent symptoms checked out by their doctor.
Ed Bartlam, Underbelly’s co-founder said: “I am so delighted that we are able to present the fourth of our Brain Tumour Benefit shows at Underbelly this year. The support from comedians and audiences for these shows has been incredible and we’ve raised over £100,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity since our first show in 2017.
“My son Alfie died aged 7 from brain cancer three days after the 2019 Fringe so this year’s shows will be particularly important and pertinent. We are committed to raising £1.4M in three years for specific paediatric brain tumour research and new treatments through a range of fundraising events.
“This annual Fringe show is a crucial part of that so do please buy a ticket to watch a truly amazing line up of comedians and raise money for this vital cause. It’s a win win!”
Gina Almond, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “We are so proud of our continued partnership and loyal support from Underbelly and it is just brilliant that the Big Brain Tumour Benefit is happening again this year; such a welcome return after the pandemic.
“Our brilliant partnerships are key to raising vital funds for research and awareness of the devastating impact of a brain tumour.
“Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40 and they reduce life expectancy by 27 years, the highest of any cancer and this must change.
“The Brain Tumour Charity is committed to fighting brain tumours on all fronts with a goal of doubling survival rates and halving the harm that brain tumours have on quality of life – and it is only through the support from so many people like Ed, Charlie and the brilliant Underbelly team that we can strive towards those goals.
“It’s fantastic news that the Big Brain Tumour Benefit is back this year, and we know it will be a blast. Thank you all for your incredible support.”
To book tickets for Underbelly’s Big Brain Tumour Benefit visit:
theSpaceUK kicks off their 27th year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in style
It was a night to remember as theSpaceUK kicked off their 27th year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a powerhouse performance packed launch at theSpace Triplex.
Artists from a wide variety of genres came together to wow audiences with a small flavour of the 400+ shows available in this year’s programme. Featuring eleven fantastic acts, the launch was a showcase of music, comedy, theatre and packed with plenty of action, to give a taste of the talent on show at theSpaceUK this year.
theSpaceUK pioneered the return of grass roots performance to the festival last year and continues to offer the most established programme for new and original writing as well as established work offering that unique and special experience that can only be found in Edinburgh during August.
Highlights from theSpaceUK Press Launch
Kicking off proceedings was the Hip Hop Orchestra Experience direct from California which seamlessly fused hip-hop and classical music. Upcoming theatre company koi collective premiered a new comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe, Crossing the Void, with a swirl of intrigue and emotion.
A multimedia hybrid, part live stand-up, part film, Apartness featured Sylvester McCoy, Linda Marlowe in a tale of two isolated souls and their devilish comedian saviour. Prejudice & Pride was new folk musical comedy that reimagines Jane Austen’s classic novel in modern America with gender-swapped characters.
How do predators justify what they have done? Why do some victims survive and others perish? Brother’s Keeper is about courageous survival. Merrill gets diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and tries to make sense of her life and chaotic childhood in Merrill Means Well.
The Mistake is a compelling new play by Michael Mears that explores the events surrounding the catastrophic “mistake” that launched our nuclear age.
UK Underdog is a solo show based on true events in a London, Jewish boy’s life told with humour and plenty of chutzpah.
A modern tale of the gay scene which can be harsh and lonely, Soho Boy is packed with glamour, sex and songs.
One-liners and light-hearted jokes from the UK Pun Championships winner 2022 and Scottish Comedian of the Year runner-up 2021, Richard Pulsford had the audience in stitches.
Puppet Pansori Sugungga is an untraditional staging of classical Korean themes using the traditional puppetry of pansori and live music. All hosted by the freshest comedian at the Fringe, It’s Fraser Brown.
About theSpaceUK
Established in 1995, theSpaceUK hosts the largest and most diverse programme at the fringe. Companies, both professional & amateur, are given an affordable, supportive and professional platform to showcase their work.
About the venue
theSpaceUK operates 19 venues across 7 sites including: theSpace@Surgeon’sHall, theSpace@SymposiumHall, theSpace on North Bridge, theSpace on the Mile, theSpaceTriplex, the Space@Venue45. Further details will be revealed in the coming months.
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED AND WILL NOW TAKE PLACE NEXT WEEK. FURTHER DETAILS WILL FOLLOW.
On Monday (08 August), 11.20am-12.20pm a free panel at Underbelly’s Friesian Theatre, McEwan Hall, will discuss the issue of producing theatre and art under the rising threat of censorship, with three international grassroot theatre companies to share their personal experiences.
Index on Censorship are partnering for the event, with moderator Nik Williams to give a global perspective on arts censorship.
Panellists include Max Percy and Natalie Chan with their Untapped Award winning show This is Not a Show About Hong Kong, a visually stunning piece of dance theatre which explores the blanket censorship trigged by the imposition of the Chinese government’s National Security Bill in Hong Kong. If the show were to be performed in Hong Kong performances could be summarily banned, and Max & Natalie could face a minimum five years in prison.
Davinia Hamilton and Sam Edmunds of Blanket Ban (also an Untapped Award winner)will be on the panel to discuss their multimedia, docu-theatre show which explores the blanket ban on abortion in Malta and features video testimony of Maltese women who have had abortions.
Of course hauntingly timely in the wake of overturning of Roe V Wade in USA which has caused a seismic shift in the conversation surrounding abortion rights worldwide. Again, if this play were to be performed in Malta, the creative team could face prosecution.
Finally Rhum + Clay’s Julian Spooner and Syrian composer Khaled Kurbeh of Project Dictator will contribute to the panel.
Their shows follows two clowns performing a show amid political instability; initially enjoying apparent freedom of expression against the backdrop of liberal democracy, before the production is slowly engulfed by the creeping shadow of authoritarianism. The play was inspired by conversations with artists living under autocratic regimes from Brazil to Venezuela and Afghanistan to Azerbaijan.
Index on Censorship is an organization campaigning for freedom of expression, which produces a quarterly magazine of the same name from London.
As the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe gets underway, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society are delighted to announce a full programme of activity for the new Taster Stages in St Andrew Square and Cathedral Square in St James Quarter.
Following an announcement about the extension of the traditional Street Events programme to new sites across the city centre, the Fringe Society team have been excited by the level of support shown by artists for the new spaces.
Scheduled daily from 11:00 – 18:00, the new stages will bring a taster of the Fringe to the New Town, with performers from 170 shows participating in 650 performances across both stages.
From music to magic, dance to comedy, and theatre to circus, there will be something for everyone visiting the spaces this August. In St Andrew Square the TikTok team will be in residence and will live stream on various dates throughout August. In the St James Quarter, the Taster Stage in Cathedral Square will be the first event to take place in this new space.
Audiences are encouraged to make repeat visits to the two stages, with performers changing throughout the day. The tasters have been designed to allow visitors to the area the opportunity to get to know work by the artists, before booking a ticket to see their full show.
Shona McCarthy, CEO at The Edinburgh Fringe Society said: “This summer we’re delighted to be able to expand the Street Events programme to these new spaces in the New Town.
“It’s been fantastic to see the volume of artists who have engaged with these opportunities and we encourage anyone visiting these areas to stop by to get a taste of the Fringe Festival.
“We are grateful to our sponsors and partners in supporting our expansion of Street Events and look forward to watching performance in both the live experience, and digitally on TikTok.”
James Stafford, Head of Community & partnerships, TikTok UK, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Festival Fringe Society this year as the Official Virtual Stage.
“We will be livestreaming from the TikTok Taster Stage in St Andrews Square throughout the festival, so whether you are lucky enough to be in Edinburgh or want to tune in from afar on TikTok, the magic of the Fringe will be more accessible than ever before.’
Cllr Val Walker, Culture and Communities Convener, City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is a very special year for the Fringe, not only does it see the return of an amazing programme of artists and performers from around the world, it also marks 75 years of this extraordinary festival.
“This exciting addition of new sites offering taster performances from the Fringe’s jam-packed programme brings a wider opportunity for current and potential Fringe fans to sample some of the 650 acts who will be entertaining audiences this month.”
Paul Bush, VisitScotland Director of events, said: “EventScotland is delighted to be supporting the return of the Fringe Street Events at this year’s Festival as they extend to new locations across the city centre.
“Our atmospheric crowds, iconic venues and picture-perfect backdrops make Scotland the perfect stage for events and after the challenges of the last two years now is the time to get out and enjoy all these free events have to offer.”
Nick Peel, St James Quarter said: “We are thrilled to be hosting the Taster Stage in Cathedral Square kicking off a fantastic summer of The Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the Quarter.
“The Fringe is such an integral part of the city, the partnership supports our ambition of offering guests new experiences every time they visit. We can’t wait to see the incredible talent from across the globe descend on Cathedral Square, giving us a taste of what’s on offer across the City this August.”
Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Fringe Society and St James Quarter to bring free Fringe activity to St Andrew Square Garden and Cathedral Square.
“I encourage everyone to stop by and get a real feel for the fantastic artists and shows on offer. With the addition of the free Fringe stages, there is now significant Fringe presence throughout the New Town, complementing the traditional Old Town offering and ensuring we have a thriving and vibrant area during August, welcoming residents and visitors to our wonderful city centre.”
One woman’s quest for tortured beefcake, 80s action and raw sexual power
Pre-pandemic Rosy became the world’s first female time-travelling doctor in her multi-award-winning theatre debut ‘Passionate Machine’. Now this feminist powerhouse is Musclebound to examine our most shameful sexual secrets.
When bodybuilders and 80s action films unite, you can always count on one thing: a good hard flogging! And for a five-year-old Rosy, witnessing live action film characters like He-Man and Conan the Barbarian being stripped, beaten and humiliated by their male antagonists sparked an odyssey of secret obsession that would shape her erotic life forever.
Now forty, with a string of disappointing relationships behind her and her own grown-up daughter about to leave home, a chance re-watching of He-Man reignites the spark of Rosy’s lust, setting her off on a mission to replenish her sexual power. But can tortured beefcake really be the key to her salvation? Or does a more uncomfortable sexual truth lurk, waiting to be reckoned with?
Join Rosy in this intelligent, provocative and terrifically funny real-life story, as she goes to any lengths to find out – even if that means asking Dolph Lundgren and Arnold Schwarzenegger themselves …
‘It’s about me getting to grips with my childhood passion for watching these incredible scenes of hyper-muscular men being abused’, says Rosy.
‘About why that dynamic felt so powerful. Musclebound takes a playful, candid and highly singular look at sexual power, female pleasure and the politics and principles of orgasm-faking.’
Rosy is forced to ask herself: what are the sexual lessons we want to pass on to our daughters – and what do we still need to learn for ourselves? Is it ever OK to objectify people?
Rosy Carrick is a writer, actor and translator. Her critically acclaimed play Passionate Machine won theawards for Best Design and Best New Playat Brighton Fringe in 2018, and The Infallibles Award for Theatrical Excellence at Edinburgh Fringe. She has co-hosted the poetry stages at Glastonbury, Latitude and Port Eliot Festivals for the last decade.
Her debut poetry collection Chokey was published in 2018 and its follow-up, 26 Letters, is due for release in 2023. Rosy has a PhD on the Russian revolutionary poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. She has released two books of his work in translation, and is currently working on a third, which will be published in 2024 by The 87 Press. www.rosycarrick.com
Musclebound is directed by Fringe First winner Katie Bonna. Katie won the Most Promising New Playwright award at the 2018 Off West End Awards (for All The Things I Lied About).
In 2021, her queer comedy The Entertainment was nominated for OFF Fest’s Best Online Theatre production, and her short film IRL was nominated for Best Comedy at the Cannes Shorts Festival.
Part of the prestigious BBC Comedy Writers Room course 2019/2020, Katie is currently under commission from BBC Radio 4 and RADA.
‘Intelligent, articulate, funny’ Scotsman (on Passionate Machine)
Listings information:
Musclebound
Venue: Assembly Roxy (Venue 139)
Dates: 3-29 Aug (not 10, 16, 23) First review date 3 Aug
Over 3,300 shows now available to browse online ahead of the Fringe’s 75th anniversary this August
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Societyis delighted to announce that tickets for a further 146 Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows are now available to browse and book at edfringe.com.
This is the fifth set of tickets to be released for 2022, with the first 283 shows revealed in March, 796 in April, 1,281 in May and 1,047 in June. In total, there are 3,385 shows now available.
The 75th anniversary of the Fringe takes place from 05 – 29 August 2022 and will feature an exciting range of performance, with theatre, comedy, music, dance, circus, musicals, variety, cabaret, events, children’s shows and more all featured in the programme so far.
Below is a small representative sample of shows available to book from today. The full list of shows released so far can be found at edfringe.com.
Theatre
At Summerhall, Dykegeist “will shift between a supernatural thriller, a sci-fi spider lair, a haunted club scene, a social situation to discuss threat/consent/otherness”, and Peaceophobia is “an unapologetic response to rising Islamophobia around the world”.
An outdoor performance of “Shakespeare’s timeless comic masterpiece” A Midsummer Night’s Dream is at Fisherrow Links, and at Paradise in Augustines, 12th Night Lite is a “true love story for the ages”.
A selection of online shows will include In a Cave, a Voice at C venues, where “a Neolithic girl seeks comfort in imaginary friends”, and Willy’s Lil Virgin Queen explores Terra Taylor Knudson’s “passion for Shakespeare, and connects classic characters with modern experiences”.
Olding is a “multi-story, multi-character solo show, written and performed by Johanna Courtleigh” on Fringe Online, and What Am I, Chopped Suey? is also online, where “Meg Lin shares a raw personal account of growing up Chinese American that is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching”.
The Calligrapher is on at Greenside @ Infirmary Street, where an artist is “followed by the walking, talking, blood-drenched Quran that has haunted him” since he created it, and Elementa is “a one-woman show about a planet-saving superhero who’s lost her mojo” in the same venue.
Shows at ZOO Playground include Chips and Ice Cream, a show about a father-son relationship and the “struggles, the laughs, the joy and the inevitability of the mistakes that every parent will make”. Don’t Shoot the Albatross is where “pop music meets poetry in this new monologue about city lights, queer night life and large seafaring birds”.
At House of Oz, John Bell: A Few of my Favourite Things is “a relaxed hour with Australian living legend John Bell, as he rummages through his swag of favourite things, fishing out poems, stories, backstage gossip”.
Fan/Girl is part of PBH’s Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth and charts a “tongue-in-cheek ride through adolescence against a backdrop of nineties football”, and A Lady Does Not Scratch Her Crotch is “a look at gender, sexuality, and the near impossibility of growing up”.
At theSpace @ Niddry Street, Laura J Harris presents Bella Donna, “an original queer comedy filled with unexpected twists and turns and more than its fair share of sass”, and theSpace on North Bridge hosts Pool (No Water), “a visceral and shocking play about the fragility of friendship and jealousy inspired by success”.
Sweet FA at Tynecastle Park is “a play with songs exploring the remarkable popularity of women’s football in the early 20th century”, and A War of Two Halves is at the same venue, telling the journey of “the Hearts from the football fields of Gorgie to the battlefields of the Somme.”
Cabaret and Variety
Figs in Wigs: Astrology Bingo is at Assembly George Square Studios, a show which plays “with bingo cards generated from your favourite celebrity’s astrological birth chart”.
Disenchanted: A Cabaret of Twisted Fairy Tales is online at C venues and asks, “Why was the Wolf in Grandma’s bed? Did Sleeping Beauty have an opinion on consent? Were the Ugly Sisters’ feet really that big?”
At BlundaGardens: BlundaBus, Ash and Lisa: Band Practice welcomes you “to this dismantling of music and sanity” in their musical improv show. And for film fans, at Brioche Dundas Street there is See It On Screen Summer 22, “three original short films made in Edinburgh”.
At House of Oz, OZmosis: The Great Australian Variety Pack presents the “hottest line-up of all-Australian talent on the Fringe”, Dolly Diamond’s Bosom Buddies sees the “award-winning, sharp-tongued cabaret diva” return to Edinburgh, and at the same venue, Geraldine Quinn: BROAD explores how “Quinn grew up idolising bold, brassy older women. Now she’s becoming one.”
Pick of the Fringe is at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, presenting “a mixed bill of comedy, music and variety, alongside the finest cocktails and drams in Edinburgh”.
At Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers brings music from “artists from all across the pop music spectrum… in a way you’ve never heard them before”.
Chris Cook: Reflections asks, “What advice would you give your younger self?” with a magical twist at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms. At Absurd: A Live Cabaret Panel Show, you’re invited to “join host and magician Ava Beaux, and magical team captains Kane & Abel, for an array of games, buzzer rounds, and cabaret acts”; that’s at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Roti. At Planet Bar is Miss DQ Prides Again, an inclusive LGBT show.
“World-renowned songsmith and pianist extraordinaire, John Thorn, returns to the Fringe with a sublime collection of new original songs exploring the meaning of life and the future of humanity” in John Thorn Dirt An Existential Songbook at RSE Theatre.
At the Voodoo Rooms, Mr.B: Twerp in Progress “will feature some chap-hop classics, interpretations of vintage rap ditties and perhaps even some bits made up on the spot”.
99 Red Kitties is at theSpace @ Niddry St, “a highly energetic amateur burlesque show, which is sure to tantalize the audience”.
Children’s Shows
Online at C venues, Risas de Papel is a show created by 11 artists from Mexico and Chile, “fusing clown, gestural theatre and live illustration in a show for audiences of all ages”.
Spontaneous Potter Kidz: The Unofficial Improvised Parody is at Gilded Balloon at the Museum, “an entirely improvised wizarding comedy show, based on your suggestions”. At House of Oz, Dolly Diamond’s Storytime “helps stimulate children’s imagination and expand their understanding of the world”.
At Paradise in Augustines, The Red Thread We Are Holding takes audiences on “a journey of culture, love and free Taiwanese desserts”.
The Mermaid and the Cow is at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, telling the tale of how “adventurer and children’s author, Lindsey Cole mermaided the length of the River Thames to highlight the plastic pandemic.”
Comedy
In comedy, Adam Kay: This is Going to Hurt… More (Work in Progress) brings diary entries “as well as some disgusting favourite stories” to Pleasance, and at Pleasance Dome Drag His Ass with Mary Beth Barone is a “deconstruction of modern dating culture”.
At Laughing Horse venues, Love and Sex on the Spectrum “explores all of the awkward firsts that come with dating, sex and love from a late bloomer’s perspective”. In From Ukraine, “Dima Watermelon (it’s his real name) and Pavlo Voytovych (writer at Comedy Central)” bring “the best comedians Ukraine has to offer”, with all donations going to organisations in Ukraine.
Jew Talkin’ to Me? seesRachel Creeger and Philip Simon live record their “unashamedly Jewish podcast enjoyed by everyone” at Assembly George Square Studios, and Róisín and Chiara: Sex on Wheels is “a whirlwind of synchronised, audience-tickling, stream-of-consciousness mischief”, at the same venue.
At BlundaGardens: BlundaBus, there is “extreme nonsense from award-winning idiot Dan Lees” in Dan Lees: Mustard or Custard?, and at Gilded Balloon at the Museum is Spontaneous Sherlock, an “entirely improvised Sherlock Holmes comedy play, based on a suggestion of a title”.
The In-Laws is at Greenside @ Infirmary Street, a one-man show where you can “join Paul as he meets his in-laws for the first time”, and at House of Oz, Gabbi Bolt: I Hope My Keyboard Doesn’t Break tackles “climate change, feminism, why small towns have too many pubs”.
The Necrobus hosts Fright Bus Service, “an award-winning theatrical sightseeing tour around the darker side of Europe’s most haunted city on a classic 1960s Routemaster bus”.
As part of PBH’s Free Fringe, Mimi Hayes: 20-Nothing details the story of an old woman who’s “sucked into the story of a 20-something who can’t catch a break”. Faces of Glasgow “is a scabrous and salacious satire of modern Glaswegian city life and its idiosyncratic inhabitants”.
The Scottish Comedy Festival presents Ah! My Name is Yoky Yu, about “healing, trauma, love, shame, guilt, mom, intimate relationships, and sexuality”, and The Lunch Rush gives “a taste of some of the best new comedy talent on the Scottish circuit” with Kathleen Hughes.
At The Stand’s New Town Theatre, Des Clarke: One O’ Clock Fun presents “a lunchtime showcase of Edinburgh Fringe legends, celebrity guests and the most exciting new talent around”, while Mark Watson: More Banging on About Time and Similar Issues (Work in Progress) explores “what it means to live and die, and what the hell we’re meant to do with the rapidly passing time in between”.
Trashfuture: Live at the Fringe is at theSpace @ Venue45, covering everything from “nonsense start-ups to the evil tech zillionaires and our garbled nonsense of a culture.”
At Underbelly, Dr Brown: Workdsff intlsdjfj Progressdsdfdfn the “multi award-winning comic” comes to Edinburgh “after a decade in hibernation”.
Call Me Me is at ZOO Playground, a show where Maryellen takes audiences through “stories of medical malpractice, being pigeon-toed, mansplaining in escape rooms”, and Platonic Love Triangle – A New York Stand-up Comedy Show sees comedians “Wyatt Feegrado (Bettor Days on Hulu, Amazon Prime), Lukas Arnold (2 million+ followers on Tiktok) and Otter Lee (Fairview on Comedy Central) present an afternoon of stand-up comedy”.
Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus
At Dancebase, an “elaborately costumed dancer performs a tap dance ritual accompanied by a musician” in Le Flâneur, and A Something! No Dragon No Lion! is “a Kung Fu contemporary circus made in Hong Kong”.
Cirk La Putyka and Kyiv Municipal Academy of Variety and Circus Art collaborate on Boom at Underbelly, a “show about family, freedom and borders” where 12% of ticket income will be donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee.
At ZOO Southside is 40/40: “Kat has always danced, but she has never before been a dancer. But then, she’s never been 40 before either. This is the result of 40 years of joy and hardship, laughter and tears, super tunes and super moves.”
Musicals and Opera
On Fringe Online, Feeling Pretty “tells a story of women reclaiming their power” and at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, The Canterville Ghost: The Musical is a “family friendly comic ghost story” adapted from the Oscar Wilde story.
Spoken Word
At the Stand’s New Town Theatre, Politics and Poetry with Corbyn and McCluskey is an event which “traces the evolution of their political lives and how poetry and modern culture has provided inspiration, enlightenment and comfort”.
In 12 Angry Women, on Fringe Online, “women are on trial by the audience (the camera), they express their monologues and themselves through dance/movement”.
Aural Picnic is at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth where a “local lass brings to life contemporary stories with humour and vigour performed in anthropomorphic characters from nature and myth.”
At Pleasance at EICC, Iain Dale: All Talk with Nicola Sturgeon brings the LBC presenter and the First Minister together for “incisive insight on current affairs”.
Shot in the Face Marvin Herbert is at Shout – Scottish Music Centre @ 111 Holyrood Road, where Marvin discusses having “investigated over 24 murders and eight shootings. Shot five times, axed in the head, stabbed, beaten and bruised” in the service of “reducing re-offending by inspiring, motivating youths and changing lives”.
Music
At ZOO Southside, sanni-leena brings “jazzy covers” with a voice which “will hit you right in the soul – no matter what style she takes on”, and at ZOO Playground, I Dreamed a Dream: The Hunt for a Husband is “an evening of musical comedy, horrendous dating stories, and a relatable truth that we all need to hear.”
At Acoustic Music Centre @ UCC, Jeremy Dion from Boulder, Colorado presents his “blend of folk, bluegrass and Americana”, and Baul, Troubador and Verses on Love, Lust and Flame directed by Ahmed Kaysher “offers the ecstasy and sublime beauty of Indian Vaishnav, Baul and Troubadour music with its interpretation through a haunting presentation of Sufi, Bengali and Greek poetry”.
Duelling Piano Heroes is “an unrivalled, 21st century duelling pianos experience” at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Liquid Room Annexe/Warehouse.
10 Years of Hot Dub Time Machine promises “a night of high energy and non-stop fun and Tom’s incredible selection of the very best tracks from the last 70 years” at Royal Highland Centre.
At RSE Theatre, Bonnie Thorn Little Jazz Bird “showcases Bonnie’s vocal talents with selections from the Gershwins to Amy Winehouse and beyond”, and at St Cuthbert’s Church, Pitchcraft: The Pitch Is Back! is a showcase of “uniquely crafted acapella arrangements, each with its own twist, delivered with humour and passion”.
There is a Lunchtime Organ Recital with free admissionat Stockbridge Church, where “Marion Lees McPherson plays a selection of German, French and English organ music on the theme of Pain and Glory.”
Kings of the Blues: Electric Blues Tribute is at The Brunton, “honouring three masters of the Blues: BB King, Albert King and Freddy King”, and Kyle Falconer in The Old Dr Bell’s Baths with Support from The John Rush Band, The Laurettes and Hunter & McMusard is at The Old Dr Bells Baths where “Kyle, backed by his full band, will be playing a set combining his solo music and classics from The View’s back catalogue.”
The Salvation Army Edinburgh City Corps hosts Music for the Festival with Newtongrange Silver Band, “a traditional mining village brass band from the outskirts of Edinburgh, but their repertoire is far from traditional”.
At Underbelly, Bristo Square, Symphonic Ibiza celebrates “some of the most famous Ibiza club anthems from the last 30 years”.
Grigoryan Brothers: This Is Us is at the House of Oz. “To mark the National Museum of Australia’s 20th anniversary, the nation’s most respected classical guitarists, the Grigoryan Brothers, composed 18 musical works inspired by items from the museum’s vast collection.” At the same venue, BIRDEE “blends her own lineage of Chinese, Greek and Russian origins to craft her own sound and stories”.
120 shows make up The Stand’s 2022 programme across Stand 1 (5 York Place), Stand 2 (16 N St Andrew St) & The Stand’s New Town Theatre (96 George St)
We may be world-famous for our stand-up, but that doesn’t mean The Stand is a one-trick pony. Several spoken-word mainstays such as ‘The Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas’ and ‘In Conversation With’ are back thanks to our partnership with Fair Pley, but there’s also brand new shows from comrades Jeremy Corbyn & Len McCluskey, legendary actor David Hayman, former Makar Liz Lochhead and much more …
An ongoing series of intimate conversations with some of the country’s biggest names, including Jeremy Corbyn MP, Ian Rankin, Darren McGarvey, David Hayman, Val McDermid, and now – a last minute addition – our First Minister Nicola Sturgeon! £12.50 – £15
Are you brave enough to challenge your own preconceptions and opinions on hot-button issues? Susan Morrison introduces a different academic speaker every day. £11
Are you brave enough to challenge your own preconceptions and opinions on hot-button issues? Susan Morrison introduces a different academic speaker every day. £11
Jeremy Corbyn is joined by his friend and comrade Len McCluskey for a unique event. No strangers to controversy; their love of poetry is the softer counterpoint to their firm political beliefs. One night only. £12
What does it really mean to be working class? A blend of theatre, stand-up and spoken word from critically acclaimed writer and performer Kevin P Gilday. £12
Mark Billingham, Val McDermid, Chris Brookmyre, Luca Veste, Doug Johnstone and Stuart Neville switch out pens for guitars. Murder on the dancefloor is guaranteed …
As the world’s largest arts festival is set to return to Edinburgh, Naked Malt will launch the city’s best kept secret cocktail garden complete with sipping stations and Instagrammable delights this August.
An official sponsor of Underbelly at the Edinburgh Fringe 2022, Naked Malt has created an immersive drinks den called the Naked Malt Garden, located in the legendary Bristo Square serving signature cocktails from some of Edinburgh’s most sought after bars including Top 50 cocktail bar in the UK – Hey Palu and the innovation-driven Superico.
Launching onAugust 3rd, the picturesque garden embodies an urban summer in the city with a vibrant backdrop of oranges, refreshing lemons and of course, whisky. Encouraging guests to drink whisky their way.
Designed specifically to encourage you to savour those little moments in life, the pop up embraces Naked Malt’s ethos to “Live Naked” – celebrating those shared moments with friends. The garden itself is full of Instagrammable highlights including a striking Live Naked vibrant wall, a standing ‘Sipping Station’, along with comfortable seating and a relaxed outdoor vibe.
Popping up at the Med Quad area in Bristo Square, right next door to McEwan Hall for four weeks from 3rd – 29th August, The Naked Malt Garden will bring the very best whisky cocktails to the city centre during the highly anticipated return of Edinburgh Fringe.
The whisky brand has collaborated with expert bartenders from two of Edinburgh’s most respected bars Hey Palu and Superico, to create specially crafted whisky sours.
On the menu, you’ll find three exclusive Naked Sours including their signature Cloudy Apple Sour, alongside an imaginative Tropical Tuesday serve made by Hey Palu (above).
This contemporary drink sees Naked Malt whisky expertly mixed with a homemade passion fruit syrup, a blend of pineapple and lemon juices alongside Orgeat for that ultimate summer drink.
Meanwhile, top bar Superico has crafted The Superico Sour which offers a sophisticated twist on a classic sour which blends Naked Malt whisky, Coconut liqueur, Miso Pineapple Syrup and Lemon Juice.
The Naked Malt Garden will be the perfect spot to enjoy expertly made whisky sours and encourage Edinburgh Fringe visitors to #LiveNaked this summer.
Emily Stephenson brand manager at Naked Malt said: “Taking over an iconic location, we’re excited to reveal The Naked Malt Garden, in collaboration with some of Edinburgh’s top bartenders, just in time for the return of the biggest arts festival in the world.
“Edinburgh in August is a sight to behold, and we can’t wait to welcome guests from the city and beyond to enjoy some very special Naked Sours.
“We’re eager to ensure the spotlight stays on the city’s local bars during the Fringe and that they reap the benefits of the huge influx of tourists into the city, which is why we’ve collaborated with the incredible teams at Hey Palu and Superico, to design their very own Naked Malt cocktail.
“Their skilled bartenders have concocted some truly delicious drinks, inspired by Naked Malt’s ethos to Live Naked – celebrating the little moments when we can get back to our real selves.”
Family-run Italian cocktail bar Hey Palu has gained a cult following since arriving in the city, recognised as one of the Top 50 cocktail bars in the UK, with their modern cocktails and friendly atmosphere.
A design-led cocktail bar, Superico were crowned winners of the best ‘Bar, Club & Lounge’ at the Hospitality Design Awards in New York in 2021, the only venue outside of the US to be shortlisted. Led by Mike Lynch, a multi-award-winning mixologist, the venue has delighted visitors to the city with its show-stopping food and innovative cocktails.
The Naked Malt Garden opens on August 3rd until August 29th and runs daily at Bristo Square from 10am until 1am – Sunday to Thursday, and from 10am-3am on weekends. Strictly for over 18+s. Free entry.
Follow Naked Malt on Instagram or visit website for more information
